Disney Texas! coming to Abilene?

Property once expected to be home to a youth sports complex may now sport Texas' first Walt Disney theme park, and may lead to a new animatronics magnet school.

According to an amusement park Web site, www.goofynewsandviews.com, developer Kenneth Musgrave pulled an offer of land for the proposed Abilene Youth Sports Complex after receiving a $11.21 billion bid for the 70-acre tract, located near Highway 351 and U.S. Interstate 20 in Abilene, from the Walt Disney Co.

In response, the Abilene Independent School District is considering building the Big Country's first animatronic animation magnet school within the park. The magnet school would be an exact replica of historic Lincoln Middle School.

Expected to bring in 1,000 new jobs with an average annual salary of $20,000, Disney Texas! will bring an Old West flavor to familiar cartoon faces such as Donald Duck, Goofy, Snow White and Mickey Mouse, who will be redubbed "Musgrave" Mouse at the Abilene park.

Following in the wake of successful endeavors such as Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, Disney Quadruple XXXL Xtreme and Walt Disney World-Northwestern British Columbia, the theme park is expected to bring in millions of eager tourists, as well as healthy local crowds provided they don't have to buy tickets in advance.

Plus, youth sports will still have a home.

With his proceeds, Musgrave reportedly plans to buy the rest of Abilene and offer it to the AYSA for use as an expanded sports complex that will now include badminton courts, hockey rinks, and a biathlon course.

Abilene tourism officials say Disney Texas! will fill the gap left since Abilene High no longer plays Odessa Permian because of UIL realignment. They suggested, however, that the park be located near downtown tourism destinations.

A city official said he hadn't heard of the proposed new park but said there are no city ordinances regulating "cartoon-based amusement/recreation centers" as long as they have plenty of sidewalks, don't allow smoking, are closed on Sunday mornings and don't put up tall signs.